Nik Wallenda to train for Grand Canyon walk in Sarasota

Wednesday

May 8, 2013 at 3:57 PM

The aerialist will hold two-a-day training sessions from June 6-20 at Nathan Benderson Park.

By BILLY COX

In an unexpected reversal of fortune, Nik Wallenda's designs on rehearsing for a historic Grand Canyon wirewalk in his own backyard have cleared long odds, and will unfold next month at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota.

Virtually dead in the water in April, Wallenda's negotiations with local officials culminated in an 11th-hour success this week. As a result, the record-setting aerialist will be staging two-a-day practices from June 6-20 at a county park transforming itself into a world-class rowing center.

A worldwide publicity blitz also is expected to emanate from Sarasota during Wallenda's training, something that rowing enthusiasts trying to land the 2017 world championships are hoping to capitalize on.

At the end of rehearsals, Wallenda will fly directly to Arizona and Little Colorado River Navajo Tribal Park, where his June 23 skywalk over that section of the Grand Canyon will reach global audiences through The Discovery Channel.

Wednesday was the shipping deadline for 16,000 pounds of massive 2-inch-thick steel cable, which has been warehoused in New York since Wallenda used it to cross Niagara Falls last June. With plans for Sarasota rehearsals in jeopardy, Wallenda had been in discussions with Kings Island amusement park in Ohio.

“All the stakeholders here were interested in cooperating and we were able to resolve the logistical issues,” said Chait, who hopes to lure the 2017 World Rowing Championships to Benderson Park. “It's an exciting event for the Sarasota-Manatee area and we're happy to participate.”

With the assistance of local businesses and sponsors, Wallenda has managed to trim the budget shortfall to roughly $65,000. The project needs myriad contributions such as port-o-potties, security and foot providers for riggers, not just money.

“None of this goes into my pocket,” he said. “This is strictly to cover our costs — if we end up with more than we need, I'll donate the rest to charity.”

Butch Glasgow, owner of USA Fence in Bradenton, was eager to step up. His contribution: two 40-yard diameter dumpsters, which will be partially buried and filled with 163,000 pounds of sand to anchor the rigging.

“It's not cheap, but circus people have been a good part of our business for a long time and I figured this would be a good way to give something back,” Glasgow said. “I think this is going to be a win-win situation for everybody.”

Especially since Glasgow will have the name of his company displayed at the rehearsal site — where regional, national, and international media are expected to converge.

Within the last few weeks, GQ and People magazine crews have traveled to Sarasota to produce profiles, and Visit Sarasota president Virginia Haley anticipates maximum community exposure for Wallenda's practices.

“It would've been a real shame if we couldn't have kept him here. He's on a world stage now and this is going to be a huge media draw,” Haley said. “And this will give us secondary opportunities to explain what Benderson Park is all about.”

Winston Simone, Wallenda's New York-based agent, said “It's a constant flow of inquiries. I just got off the phone with the biggest TV station in Germany. I've talked to Chinese national TV.

“I've talked to the biggest newspaper in Turkey,” Simone said, alluding to Wallenda's plan to skywalk across the Eurasian continental divide in Turkey.

“They're all coming to Sarasota because they know that's where they'll have access,” Simone said. “They won't have that opportunity at the Grand Canyon because the location is so remote. Sarasota will be a major press outlet every day throughout the world.”

Daily practices

Wallenda says he plans to hold press conferences following his daily mid-morning practice sessions, which will be conducted, as always, without a safety net.

Rehearsals will take place on man-made Regatta Island, where a 1,200-foot length of cable will be suspended between two cranes. By comparison, his February skywalk in downtown Sarasota covered 600 feet across Tamiami Trail.

Discovery has a potential audience of 1.3 billion viewers. Peacock Productions, which is owned by NBC, will produce the live telecast.

On June 4, Wallenda will appear on NBC's “Today Show” to promote the same-day release of his autobiography “Balance: Christian Faith and Miraculous Results.”

Wallenda also said he has been invited to scout Citi Field in New York for a possible performance at the Major League All Star Game on July 16.